StemCell Therapy

2 Jun 2017, 1:19 p.m.

The Cowra Arthritis Support Group recently celebrated Arthritis Awareness Week.

Last week was Arthritis Awareness Week withArthritis andOsteoporosis NSW is urging everyone to become informed about arthritis.

Incidence of arthritis is increasing in Australia, with recent NSW Health statistics indicating that one-in- four people are now affected by arthritis and related conditions.

Arthritis andOsteoporosis NSW CEO,Sandra Vincent, said it was great thatCowra residents can find information and support from their local arthritis support group.

At Arthritis andOsteoporosis NSW, we strive to help people with arthritis to improve their quality oflife by developing their self-management skills, she said.

When it comes to osteoarthritis, the two most important factors in prevention and management are maintenance of a healthy weight and an appropriate exercise regime that strengthens the muscles around the affected joints, she said.

According to findings just released by the Medibank Better Health Foundation, the number of osteoarthritis cases in New South Wales has soared in the past 10 years, from 347,000 in 2007 to 601,000 in 2017.

According toArthritis andOsteoporosisNSW the three most prevalent forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and, in children, juvenile idiopathic arthritis:

The Cowra Arthritis support group will be holding their next meeting Tuesday, May 6at 2pm.

The meetings guest speaker will be Acupuncturist,Stephen Tamplin, from Central West Naturopathic and Health Foods.

All are welcome to attend the Cowra Arthritis Support groups meeting for more information on the group please contactChristine Murphy on 0427 423 596.

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Arthritis support strong in Cowra - Cowra Guardian

David Bussiere's daughter Ava was just 3-years-old when she first started to show the signs of juvenile arthritis and by 5 she was diagnosed.

The Regina father said he wasn't sure what was wrong with his daughter, and the two-year process to receive a diagnosis was trying.

"Her mood changed when she was young, then eventually we noticed swelling in her joints," said Bussiere. "One morning she woke up and her knee wouldn't bend anymore and that's when we really started to take it seriously."

Initially Bussiere thought his daughter had just grown and was experiencing pain associated with that, which was later reinforced by some doctors.

After being referred to a team of specialists in Saskatoon, Ava was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The disease affects her knees, ankles, wrists, fingers and her jaw.

On Sunday the Walk to Fight Arthritis took place in 40 communities across Canada.

"We justthought it would be a good way to show her she wasn't alone," Bussiere.

Sunday was the fourth time the Bussiere's made it out to the arthritis walk in Regina.

Ava had to be taken out of sports and could no longer participate in gym classher favourite subject during her leading up to her diagnosis.

"It was scary. It was scary because you learn that its not something they grow out of. It's a disease that they have for life. It's something she'll have to deal with for her whole life," said Bussiere.

After years of treatment and medicine Ava, now 8-years-old, is able to play soccer.

"When we had the whole bout with her knee we had to pull her out, couldn't play sports anymore, but then she started treatment and it take too long after treatment that we could start re-introducing things," said Bussiere.

"It's to the point where she's just a regular kid again."

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'It was scary': father recalls 5-year-old daughter's arthritis diagnosis ... - CBC.ca

Do your knees, hips and other joints snap, crackle and pop when you move?

Whether youre a senior, approaching middle age or a young athlete in your prime, you might have arthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease.

Once considered an age-related condition, its now known that arthritis can afflict anyone at any age. The condition can range from slight joint stiffness in the morning to a chronic, debilitating pain that can limit your mobility and reduce your quality of life.

More than 40 million Americans suffer from arthritis, and more than half of arthritis cases are osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that affects cartilage, the tissue that covers the ends of the bones in a joint.

The joints most often affected by osteoarthritis are those used for bending and swiveling movements: the knees, hips, shoulders and fingers. Healthy cartilage provides padding between bones that acts as a shock absorber for high-impact activities, and it helps bones glide smoothly together at the joints for bending and rotating motions.

In joints affected by osteoarthritis, the smooth, elastic cartilage that covers the ends of bones breaks down and wears away, leaving a rough surface where bones can rub together. Eventually, the joint can become misshapen; bits of bone and cartilage might break off and float in the joint space; or spiky growths called bone spurs can develop on the surface of the exposed bone, which can cause joint pain and decreased mobility.

Osteoarthritis risk and symptoms

Osteoarthritis can develop over time as age-related wear and tear, or as a result of a joint injury.

Those at risk of developing osteoarthritis include females, those who have a family history of osteoarthritis, those who are overweight or have had prior joint injuries, and those who put continuous, repetitive stress on their joints (i.e., a job that requires excessive lifting, bending or repetitive tasks, or high impact activities, such as running and aerobics).

Symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

>> Joint pain at rest or with activity.

>> Swelling or tenderness.

>> Stiffness, especially after getting out of bed or sitting for a long time.

>> Bony enlargement of the joint area.

>> A crunching noise or feeling when moving the joint.

Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis, early diagnosis and treatment might help slow the development and progression of the disease, further avoiding joint damage; help relieve pain and stiffness; and preserve maximum range of motion. According to the Arthritis Foundation (AF), symptoms of osteoarthritis begin to set in 10 years after a specific cause such as an injury or obesity, so early treatment is important.

Osteoarthritis is diagnosed through a combination of tests, including a medical history, physical exam, x-rays or MRIs and possibly blood tests or examinations of fluid drawn from the joint.

Treatment options include lifestyle modifications, medications, physical therapy or surgery. Your doctor might recommend switching from high-impact to low-impact sports activities. Topical or oral pain medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroid injections, administered by your doctor, can help control pain and swelling.

Other nonsurgical remedies might include weight loss. The AF estimates that every pound of excess weight lost reduces four pounds of pressure on the knees and six pounds of pressure on the hips. Additionally, physical therapy can help strengthen the muscles that surround and support the affected joint, and ice or heat also might help reduce swelling and pain. Regular exercise is also important to help the affected joint stay lubricated and strong.

If other treatment methods are not effective, surgery also can help relieve pain and restore mobility. Surgical interventions range from minimally invasive arthroscopy which removes bone spurs or smooths rough bone surfaces to total joint replacement, in which parts of the bones are removed and an artificial joint is implanted.

Dr. Supen Patel specializes in rheumatology. He is associated with Carolinas Rheumatology & Osteoporosis (carolinasrheumatology.com), an affiliate of Carolinas Medical Alliance, and is a member of the medical staff of Carolinas Hospital System. He is accepting new patients. Patients must have a referral to schedule an appointment. To refer a patient, call Patels office at 843-674-6440.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor but rather to increase awareness and help equip patients with information and facilitate conversations with your physician that will benefit your health.

Sources: The Arthritis Foundation, arthritis.com, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, aaos.org, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, niams.nih.gov

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Arthritis can strike at any age: Early treatment is important in regard to degenerative joint disease - SCNow

A genetic predisposition is a genetic characteristic which influences the possible phenotypic development of an individual organism within a species or population under the influence of environmental conditions. In medicine, genetic susceptibility to a disease refers to a genetic predisposition to a health problem,[1] which may eventually be triggered by particular environmental or lifestyle factors, such as tobacco smoking or diet. Genetic testing is able to identify individuals who are genetically predisposed to certain diseases.

Predisposition is the capacity we are born with to learn things such as language and concept of self. Negative environmental influences may block the predisposition (ability) we have to do some things. Behaviors displayed by animals can be influenced by genetic predispositions. Genetic predisposition towards certain human behaviors is scientifically investigated by attempts to identify patterns of human behavior that seem to be invariant over long periods of time and in very different cultures.

For example, philosopher Daniel Dennett has proposed that humans are genetically predisposed to have a theory of mind because there has been evolutionary selection for the human ability to adopt the intentional stance.[1] The intentional stance is a useful behavioral strategy by which humans assume that others have minds like their own. This assumption allows you to predict the behavior of others based on personal knowledge of what you would do.

E. O. Wilson's book on sociobiology and his book Consilience discuss the idea of genetic predisposition to behaviors

The field of evolutionary psychology explores the idea that certain behaviors have been selected for during the course of evolution.

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, which was signed into law by President Bush on May 21, 2008,[2] prohibits discrimination in employment and health insurance based on genetic information.

See more here:
Genetic predisposition - Wikipedia

To aid our variant interpretation process, we created an openly-available online tool to efficiently classify variants based on the evidence categories outlined in the article: Richards, et al. Standards and guidelines for the interpretation of sequence variants. 2015. This site displays the evidence categories and descriptions from Table 3 and Table 4 with simple checkboxes for selecting appropriate criteria. The site then incorporates the algorithm in Table 5 to automatically assign the pathogenicity or benign impact based on the selected evidence categories. Since our process often requires analyzing multiple variants per patient, we have also allowed the option of aggregating each variant into an exportable table at the foot of the website for easy documentation of the variant review process for our records. Although this tool is based on the ACMG/AMP Standards and Guidelines, it is not affiliated with ACMG, AMP, or any of the authors of the publication.

_ PVS1 null variant (nonsense, frameshift, canonical 1 or 2 splice sites, initiation codon, single or multiexon deletion) in a gene where LOF is a known mechanism of disease

_ PS1 Same amino acid change as a previously established pathogenic variant regardless of nucleotide change _ PS2 De novo (both maternity and paternity confirmed) in a patient with the disease and no family history _ PS3 Well-established in vitro or in vivo functional studies supportive of a damaging effect on the gene or gene product _ PS4 The prevalence of the variant in affected individuals is significantly increased compared with the prevalence in controls _ PP1 (Strong evidence) Cosegregation with disease in multiple affected family members in a gene definitively known to cause the disease

_ PM1 Located in a mutational hot spot and/or critical and well-established functional domain (e.g., active site of an enzyme) without benign variation _ PM2 Absent from controls (or at extremely low frequency if recessive) in Exome Sequencing Project, 1000 Genomes Project, or Exome Aggregation Consortium _ PM3 For recessive disorders, detected in trans with a pathogenic variant _ PM4 Protein length changes as a result of in-frame deletions/insertions in a nonrepeat region or stop-loss variants _ PM5 Novel missense change at an amino acid residue where a different missense change determined to be pathogenic has been seen before _ PM6 Assumed de novo, but without confirmation of paternity and maternity _ PP1 (Moderate evidence) Cosegregation with disease in multiple affected family members in a gene definitively known to cause the disease

_ PP1 Cosegregation with disease in multiple affected family members in a gene definitively known to cause the disease _ PP2 Missense variant in a gene that has a low rate of benign missense variation and in which missense variants are a common mechanism of disease _ PP3 Multiple lines of computational evidence support a deleterious effect on the gene or gene product (conservation, evolutionary, splicing impact, etc.) _ PP4 Patients phenotype or family history is highly specific for a disease with a single genetic etiology _ PP5 Reputable source recently reports variant as pathogenic, but the evidence is not available to the laboratory to perform an independent evaluation

_ BP1 Missense variant in a gene for which primarily truncating variants are known to cause disease _ BP2 Observed in trans with a pathogenic variant for a fully penetrant dominant gene/disorder or observed in cis with a pathogenic variant in any inheritance pattern _ BP3 In-frame deletions/insertions in a repetitive region without a known function _ BP4 Multiple lines of computational evidence suggest no impact on gene or gene product (conservation, evolutionary, splicing impact, etc.) _ BP5 Variant found in a case with an alternate molecular basis for disease _ BP6 Reputable source recently reports variant as benign, but the evidence is not available to the laboratory to perform an independent evaluation _ BP7 A synonymous (silent) variant for which splicing prediction algorithms predict no impact to the splice consensus sequence nor the creation of a new splice site AND the nucleotide is not highly conserved

_ BS1 Allele frequency is greater than expected for disorder _ BS2 Observed in a healthy adult individual for a recessive (homozygous), dominant (heterozygous), or X-linked (hemizygous) disorder, with full penetrance expected at an early age _ BS3 Well-established in vitro or in vivo functional studies show no damaging effect on protein function or splicing _ BS4 Lack of segregation in affected members of a family

_ BA1 Allele frequency is >5% in Exome Sequencing Project, 1000 Genomes Project, or Exome Aggregation Consortium

_ Sequencing artifact as determined by depth, quality, or other previously reviewed data

Download Table as CSV

Please note that the text of the variant evidence has been pulled directly from Richards, et al. Genet Med. 2015 May;17(5). This site does not claim authorship of any of the variant evidence descriptions.

This tool is based on the published ACMG/AMP Standards and Guidelines [Genet Med (2015)]. Anyone using this tool should be familiar with that publication. Individuals or institutions choosing to use this tool for clinical variant classification purposes assume legal responsibility for the consequences of its use. The authors make no warranty, express or implied, nor assume any legal liability or responsibility for any purpose for which the tool is used.

Please cite the following when using this tool in publications: Kleinberger J, Maloney KA, Pollin TI, Jeng LJ. An openly available online tool for implementing the ACMG/AMP standards and guidelines for the interpretation of sequence variants. Genet Med. 2016 Mar 17. doi: 10.1038/gim.2016.13. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26986878.

Read more:
Genetic Variant Interpretation Tool | University of ...

Imagine a world where an ambulance arrives to pick you up, not after a heart attack but before it happens, based on a signal sent from a device on your arm via your mobile phone. This sounds like the stuff of science fiction but could become a reality. It is all part of focusing healthcare more on prevention and less on cure. You dont wait for your car to break down before getting it repaired; you have it serviced and act on warning signs. Similarly, with healthcare, prevention is cheaper, more effective and less traumatic.

Another major change is a shift from a one size fits all approach to one tailored to individuals. Most medical treatments are designed for the average patient, and are successful for some but not others. Advances in what is called precision medicine will allow treatments to be tailored to characteristics, such as a persons genetic makeup or the genetic profile of a tumour.

The science that makes possible this combination of prevention and tailoring is genomics. The Human Genome Project mapped the human genome sequence in 2001, which is freely available in public databases. Less well known are the Precision Medicine Initiative in the US (which is creating a health database of a million Americans) and the 100,000 Genomes Project in the UK. These have only become viable because of huge advances in technology and data analytics.

Sequencing the first human genome cost $2.7bn and took 15 years. By 2008, the cost of sequencing had fallen to about $10m. Now sequencing can be done in a few days, with analysis in a few weeks, at cost of $1,000-$2,000.

Your genome is all the genetic information in your bodys instruction manual, encoded as DNA within the 23 chromosome pairs in cell nuclei. We are all very similar genetically: 99.9% of peoples genes are identical and it is the final tenth of a percent that determines differences like hair colour, build and predisposition to disease. Sequencing therefore has the ability to highlight a greater likelihood (or not) of developing conditions such as heart disease, lung cancer or Alzheimers.

The main aim of the 100,000 Genomes Project is to transform the use of genetics in the NHS. The project is run by Genomics England, a company owned by the Department of Health. It will sequence 100,000 whole genomes, half in people with rare genetic diseases (and close relatives who do not exhibit the disease) and half in patients with cancer. The results will be linked with patients medical records and stored securely and confidentially. By combining this information and allowing authorised researchers to access it, the project aims to provide a diagnosis for some patients with rare diseases and adapt cancer treatments. It will help to develop genomic medicine services for the NHS and support researchers to develop new medicines, therapies and diagnostic tests.

The 100,000 Genomes Project and similar ones around the world are unlikely to help the participants directly as the science of genomics is still in its infancy and there is a yawning gap between what sequencing technology enables us to discover and what doctors can do about it. However, it could provide invaluable data to help their children and grandchildren, as well as saving the NHS billions.

John Thornton is the director of e-ssential Resources and an independent adviser on business transformation, financial management and innovation.

John.Thornton@e-ssentialresources.co.uk

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Future medicine is all in the genes - Public Finance

New research published today in Genome Medicine uses large-scale DNA sequencing to identify genetic variants that cause developmental delay, a condition that currently goes undiagnosed in a large number of cases. Here to tell us more is author of the research, Dr. Greg Cooper.

Dr. Greg Cooper 30 May 2017

Developmental delay is associated with impaired cognition and failure to meet developmental milestones.

Developmental delay affects 1-2% of children worldwide. Symptoms often associated with developmental delay include impaired cognition, failure to meet developmental milestones, craniofacial and skeletal abnormalities, autism, and seizures. These disabilities can pose major medical, financial and psychological challenges.

Specific diagnoses for children with developmental delay are in many cases elusive, and the lack of a diagnosis is a major hardship for patients and their families. Inaccurate or unavailable diagnoses can result in years of expensive, invasive, and futile testing that complicates treatment decisions and may also lead to anxiety and emotional distress. Moreover, not knowing the reason for specific developmental delays slows research into improving therapeutic or educational options.

Anna Brooke Ainsworth, diagnosed with Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CDL), a rare genetic developmental disorder

In an effort to end the diagnostic odyssey for children with developmental delay, we have employed large-scale DNA sequencing to identify specific genetic variants that are causally relevant to developmental disabilities. As part of the NHGRI-funded Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research Consortium, we began enrolling affected children into our study in 2013. Thus far, we have sequenced 371 children who present with developmental delay, and we have found the genetic cause and thus contributed to more precise and definitive clinical diagnoses in 27%.

We also enrolled biological parents when available to facilitate the identification of de novo i.e., present in a child but absent from his/her parents genetic variants, as these are known to be enriched among variants that cause developmental disabilities.

By sequencing the affected child and their parents, we were able in many cases to more efficiently identify the pathogenic variant relevant to their symptoms. In addition, by efficiently revealing relatively short lists of candidate de novo variants, trio sequencing also can greatly improve discovery of novel disease contributions.

That said, through retrospective analysis of proband genetic variants in the absence of parental sequence information, we were able to show that completing sequencing for only the child will often still yield a diagnosis, but will on average require more time and analytical effort when compared to the analysis of a trio.

Reanalysis success is driven by, and dependent upon, data sharing by clinicians and scientists who are also sequencing developmentally delayed patients.

Through our study, we observed that finding a pathogenic variant in an affected child is more challenging when close relatives have a neurological condition. This finding suggests that the underlying genetics in such multiplex families are more complex and harder to interpret than in simplex families, and that this distinction influences the success rate in terms of pathogenic variant discovery.

We also demonstrate that reanalysis over time of data from affected children with no initially identified causal genetic finding will often lead to new findings that considerably improve overall yield. Reanalysis success is driven by, and dependent upon, data sharing by clinicians and scientists who are also sequencing developmentally delayed patients.

Our data underscore the value of whole genome sequencing as an effective first-choice diagnostic tool in patients with developmental disabilities. Further, such sequencing, especially as proband-parent trios, will advance clinical and research progress and reduce the number and length of diagnostic odysseys that continue to impact numerous children and their families.

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Finding the genetic causes of developmental delay - BMC Blogs Network (blog)

Gene therapy and a range of biological research rely on the efficient delivery of nucleic acids into cells through the process known as transfection. Most widely-used transfection approaches for mammalian cells rely on electrostatic forces, usually taking advantage of cationic reagents to bind to negatively-charged nucleic acids and form strong ionic complexes. Cells then grab these complexes and internalize them through a process called endocytosis. However, the concentration of positive charge in the reagents can kill cells, and some cellssuch as embryonic cells, neurons, or cells directly isolated from tissuedont incorporate the nucleic acids successfully.

Now researchers report a novel transfection technique, SnapFect, that relies on bio-orthogonal moleculesa class of chemically-reactive molecules that dont interfere with biological systems (ACS Cent. Sci. 2017, DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.7b00132). The team designed nanoparticle liposomes carrying a bio-orthogonal ligand. When they add those fatty particles to cell culture, they fuse into the cell membrane within seconds, leaving the ketone ligand exposed on the surface. The team then packages the nucleic acids to be delivered in complementary lipid complexes decorated with oxyamines. When the oxyamine particles are added to the cells, these functional groups react quickly with the cell surface ketones. The membrane-bound nucleic-acid complex is then pulled into the cell via endocytosis, and the nucleic acid can be expressed. Its not based on electrostatics but on click chemistry, says Muhammad N. Yousaf, a chemical biologist at York University. Thats why basically every cell is transfected with the nucleic acid.

Commercial transfection reagents already bring in about $1.5 billion per year. Yousafs team compared SnapFect to two widely-used kits: Lipofectamine (Life Technologies) and ViaFect (Promega). SnapFect transfected cells with a 68% overall efficiency while the other two transfected 19% and 29%, respectively.

Yousaf launched a company called OrganoLinX that this month began selling SnapFect ($350 for 20-25 transfections). We focused on making [the kit] just as easy to use as other commercial products out there, he says.

Besides improving efficiency, researchers could also pre-treat one batch of cells to decorate them with ketones and then mix them with other cell types before adding nucleic acids. Just the pre-treated ones will be transfected, Yousaf explains. Its like precision transfection. Because the team can create a variety of complexes using the oxyamine particles, the technique can also deliver other molecules such as proteins into cells.

I think its an interesting step forward, says James H. Eberwine, a molecular neurobiologist at the University of Pennsylvaniaparticularly the techniques universal applicability to DNA, RNA, and proteins, as well as the specificity conferred by the click chemistry approach.

Eberwine adds that while the study compares SnapFect to two widely-used techniques, researchers often optimize those techniques for their particular applications and achieve much higher efficiencies than those noted in this study. I would certainly try it, he says, and if it really does have the higher efficiency then I could see value in doing this.

Currently cell surface modification with ketones must occur shortly before addition of the oxyamine-bundled cargo. But SnapFect would be especially powerful if the ketone modification was more permanent, Eberwine says. That way, researchers could pre-engineer the surface of immature cells, then allow those cells to develop, migrate, and find their place in the local microenvironment of an experimental system before they get transfected. This would be a real boon, he says.

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Genetic engineering through click chemistry - The Biological SCENE

The 20th century veggie burger was a beige patty packed with whole grains and carrot chunks, sold in a brown paper wrapper. The 21st century version? Its bloody-pink and fleshy, thanks to heme, an ingredient created via genetic engineering.

To those steeped in the natural-food movement, the acronym GMO for genetically modified organisms has traditionally been almost as taboo as a plate of braised veal. However, that view could be changing as a new generation of Bay Area entrepreneurs upends the alternative meat and dairy industry, using biotechnology to create vegetarian foods that taste more like meat and promise ecological advantages to boot.

As somebody who has my entire life been a hard-core environmentalist I went vegan for a large part for that reason genetic engineering is one of the most important tools we can use in terms of environmental conservation, said Mike Selden, co-founder and CEO of Finless Foods in San Francisco, which is replicating fish fillets out of stem cells, though not currently with genetic engineering.

Not everyone agrees, and as these products hit the market including the aforementioned veggie burger that bleeds from Impossible Foods consumer and environmental groups have called for greater oversight and testing than whats currently required by the federal government.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:Meatless, tasty and genetically modified: a healthy debate

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21st century veggie burger: 'Bloody-pink and fleshy' thanks to genetic engineering - Genetic Literacy Project

1) Germ Line Gene Therapy: This process involves the altering of a baby's the genome before it has even been born. The gene may be inserted through Germ line gene therapy is still an emerging technique that needs to be perfected before being tested on humans. Germ line therapy is also, a more challenging than the more common somatic cell gene therapy. However, germ line therapy raises concerns regarding ethics and morality. The two main methods of performing germ-line gene therapy would be:

(Citation 17) (Citation 17) 2) Somatic Cell Gene Therapy: The most studied gene therapy, somatic cell therapy uses the insertion of a normal gene into the DNA of somatic cells in order to compensate for the non-functioning defective gene. Which can be done in a number of ways including:

(Citation 17) Virus Vectors: Both Somatic and Germ line gene therapy, need a way to insert DNA into a cell therefore carrier molecule called a vector must be used to deliver the therapeutic gene to the patient's target cells. The most efficient and effective vectors to date are viruses. Viruses can be genetically altered to carry normal human DNA, then passing on the healthy genes to human cells. Much like a chauffeur who picks up and delivers people to certain locations. Some examples of viruses that are used as vectors are: Retroviruses, Retroviruses, Adeno-associated viruses, and Herpes simplex viruses.

In Vivo Vs. Ex Vivo

(Citation 17)

3) Chimeraplasty : This technique is the least known of all three methods. It is a non- viral method that is still being researched for its potential in gene therapy. Chimeraplasty is done by changing DNA sequences in a person's genome using a synthetic strand composed of RNA and DNA. This strand of RNA and DNA is known as a chimeraplast. The chimeraplast enters a cell and attaches itself to the target gene. The DNA of the chimeraplast and the cell complement each other except in the middle of the strand, where the chimeraplast's sequence is different from that of the cell. The DNA repair enzymes then replace the cells DNA with that of the chimeraplast. This leaves the chimeraplast's new sequence in the cell's DNA and the replaced DNA sequence then decays.

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Gene Therapy

May 30, 2017 08:05 ET | Source: Abeona Therapeutics Inc

NEW YORK and CLEVELAND, May 30, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abeona Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:ABEO), a leading clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel gene therapies for life-threatening rare diseases, announced today that the FDA has granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation for Abeonas EB-101 gene therapy program for patients with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB), including recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), which are life-threatening genetic skin disorders characterized by skin blisters and erosions that cover the body.

These designations are granted to drugs with high promise that may address areas of unmet medical need for children with rare diseases. RDEB is a debilitating and life threatening inherited disorder with no approved treatment options available for patients today," stated Timothy J. Miller, Ph.D., President & CEO of Abeona Therapeutics Inc. Building upon the already granted FDA and EMA Orphan Drug Disease Designations for the EB-101 gene therapy program, receiving the Rare Pediatric Disease Designation is another important validation of the science and clinical approach to developing a novel gene therapy for RDEB patients.

Typically, wounds on patients with RDEB, also known as "butterfly skin" syndrome, can remain unhealed for months to years due to the inability of the skin to stay attached to the underlying dermis and can cover a large percentage of the body. In the ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial, EB-101 was administered to non-healing chronic wounds on each subject and assessed for wound healing at predefined time points over years. The primary endpoints of the clinical trial assess safety and evaluate wound healing after EB-101 administration compared to control untreated wounds. Secondary endpoints include expression of collagen C7 and restoration of anchoring fibrils at three and six months post-administration.

About Rare Pediatric Disease Designation: The rare pediatric disease designation indicates that the FDA may give the company a pediatric priority review voucher if the drug is approved for the pediatric indication. That voucher could then be used by the company for another drugany drugto be given a priority review. A priority review mandates that the FDA will review a BLA drug submission within six months instead of the standard 10 months. Normally, a priority review designation would only be given to a drug that is for a serious condition and has demonstrated the potential to be a significant improvement in safety and effectiveness. The priority review voucher may be used by the sponsor, sold or transferred.

EB-101 Gene Therapy Program Highlights:

About EB-101: EB-101 is an autologous, ex-vivo gene therapy in which COL7A1 is transduced into autologous keratinocytes for the treatment of Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (RDEB). RDEB is a subtype of an inherited genetic skin disorder characterized by chronic skin blistering, open and painful wounds, joint contractures, esophageal strictures, pseudosyndactyly, corneal abrasions and a shortened life span. Patients with RDEB lack functional type VII collagen owing to mutations in the gene COL7A1 that encodes for C7 and is the main component of anchoring fibrils, which stabilize the dermal-epidermal basement membrane. Patients are being enrolled in the ongoing Phase 2 portion of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial (NCT01263379). The EB-101 program has also been granted orphan drug designation by the FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA).

About Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB): EB is a group of devastating, life-threatening genetic skin disorders that is characterized by skin blisters and erosions all over the body. The most severe form, recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), is characterized by chronic skin blistering, open and painful wounds, joint contractures, esophageal strictures, pseudosyndactyly, corneal abrasions and a shortened life span. Patients with RDEB lack functional type VII collagen (C7) owing to mutations in the gene COL7A1 that encodes for C7 and is the main component of anchoring fibrils that attach the dermis to the epidermis. EB patients suffer through intense pain throughout their lives, with no effective treatments available to reduce the severity of their symptoms. Along with the life-threatening infectious complications associated with this disorder, many individuals often develop an aggressive form of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

About Abeona: Abeona Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing gene therapies for life-threatening rare genetic diseases. Abeona's lead programs include ABO-102 (AAV-SGSH), an adeno-associated virus (AAV) based gene therapy for Sanfilippo syndrome type A (MPS IIIA) and EB-101 (gene-corrected skin grafts) for recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). Abeona is also developing ABO-101 (AAV-NAGLU) for Sanfilippo syndrome type B (MPS IIIB), ABO-201 (AAV-CLN3) gene therapy for juvenile Batten disease (JNCL), ABO-202 (AAV-CLN1) for treatment of infantile Batten disease (INCL), EB-201 for epidermolysis bullosa (EB), ABO-301 (AAV-FANCC) for Fanconi anemia (FA) disorder and ABO-302 using a novel CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing approach to gene therapy for rare blood diseases. In addition, Abeona has a plasma-based protein therapy pipeline, including SDF Alpha (alpha-1 protease inhibitor) for inherited COPD, using its proprietary SDF (Salt Diafiltration) ethanol-free process. For more information, visit http://www.abeonatherapeutics.com.

Investor Contact: Christine Silverstein Vice President, Investor Relations Abeona Therapeutics Inc. +1 (212)-786-6212 csilverstein@abeonatherapeutics.com

Media Contact: Andrea Lucca Vice President, Communications & Operations Abeona Therapeutics Inc. +1 (212)-786-6208 alucca@abeonatherapeutics.com

This press release contains certain statements that are forward-looking within the meaning of Section 27a of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the expected receipt of a Priority Review Voucher and that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements include, without limitation, our plans for continued development and internationalization of our clinical programs, that patients will continue to be identified, enrolled, treated and monitored in the EB-101 clinical trial, and that studies will continue to indicate that EB-101 is well-tolerated and may offer significant improvements in wound healing. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to continued interest in our rare disease portfolio, our ability to enroll patients in clinical trials, the impact of competition; the ability to develop our products and technologies; the ability to achieve or obtain necessary regulatory approvals; the ability to secure licenses for any technology that may be necessary to commercialize our products; the impact of changes in the financial markets and global economic conditions; and other risks as may be detailed from time to time in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K and other reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligations to make any revisions to the forward-looking statements contained in this release or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this release, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

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Abeona Therapeutics Receives Rare Pediatric Disease Designation ... - GlobeNewswire (press release)

Even as CDMO Lonza deals with FDA concerns about its cell manufacturing operationin the U.S., it has gone out and acquired a gene and cell contract manufacturer in Europe.

Lonza last week said it had acquired Netherlands-based PharmaCell for an undisclosed sum. It said the company had revenues of about 11 million last year. The company has a 15,500 cell manufacturing facility in Maastricht, The Netherlands, which can produce clinical through commercial-scale product.

Lonza said PharmaCell was primarily selected because of its expertise in autologous cell and gene therapy manufacturing, which includes experience with two licensedproducts in Europe.

"PharmaCells position in the market complements Lonzas leadership position in the allogeneic cell manufacturing market," Andreas Weiler, head of emerging technologies at Lonza said in a statement.

Autologous therapies use a patients own cells to create custom products as opposed to allogeneic therapies which can be manufactured in large batches from unrelated donor tissues such as bone marrow which can be used in off-the-shelf therapies. .

Loza said with this deal its gene therapy manufacturing network will span Europe, Asia and the U.S. It is Lonzas U.S. operation in the U.S. that recently ran into FDA concerns. Lonza had its cell therapy facility in Walkersville, Maryland,slapped with a warning letter in April after earlier halting some production of liquid media products being produced for a client.

The plant is overseen by the FDAs devices unit because its products are used for diagnostics. The letter said that retained samples were found to have Pantoea organisms that Lonza discovered after receiving two confirmed complaints for sterility failures of a of product.

A spokesperson said when the warning letter was issued that the company expects to have the problems resolved and FFM media manufacturing back online by mid-2017. The company had already begun a $7.6 million manufacturing upgrade at the facility, which is slated to be finished in 2018.

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Lonza buys Dutch cell and gene therapy CMO - FiercePharma

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. Doctors say a breakthrough in stem cell research from over a decade ago could someday replace traditional medicine. A procedure using a patients own fat stem cells has already helped many people across the world, but these types of procedures havent been approved in the U.S. Thats why one Sioux Falls man and some Sanford doctors traveled to Munich, Germany last year.

Imagine a more natural way of treating pain or even a more advanced treatment for cancer. What if I told you common ailments like chronic back pain or arthritis could be healed? Thats what doctors say treatments using a patients own stem cells could do. One of those doctors is German Doctor Eckhard Alt.

The next generation of medicine would be to learn how we can heal ourselves, without artificial implants, without drugs, that we use the regenerative power of our own body, said Dr. Alt.

This might sound like something out of a Sci-Fi movie, but Dr. Alt says this type of practice is already being brought to clinical practice.

In nature, tells you there is a regenerative potential in all of us. If you look at the lizard, you cut off the tail, it even has the ability to re-grow, said Dr. Alt

Doctors say many patients have chronic pain and have exhausted all of their options. Thats what happened to one Sioux Falls man, Bill Marlette. He lost one of his arms in an accident when he was a teenager, resulting in more stress on his other wrist. Marlette said the excessive stress on his wrist caused a lot of pain, even when doing everyday activities. When his doctor heard about Dr. Alts practices, he suggested the procedure using his own fat stem cells. Last year, Marlette traveled to Munich, Germany with some Sanford Doctors to repair his wrist.

Its made my life more active and pain free again, said Sanford Health Treasurer, Bill Marlette.

Marlette said he hopes the national exposure from his story can help Sanfords goal of bringing treatments like this to the region. He said the procedure has been life changing for him and could benefit many other patients.

Without this I, I would be probably really scaling back in what I could do, said Marlette.

Marlette said 2 weeks after the procedure pain had already started to go away. Now, 7 months later he said hes pain free.

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Sioux Falls Man Received Treatment Using His Own Fat Stem Cells - KDLT News (blog)

(CNN) Here is some background information about stem cells.

Scientists believe that stem cell research can be used to treat medical conditions including Parkinsons disease, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

About Stem Cells:Stem cell research focuses on embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.

Stem cells have two characteristics that differentiate them from other types of cells:- Stem cells are unspecialized cells that replicate themselves for long periods through cell division.- Under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, stem cells can be induced to become mature cells with special functions such as the beating cells of the heart muscle or insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.

There are four classes of stem cells: totipotent, multipotent, pluripotent, and unipotent.- Totipotent stem cells that develop into cells that make up all the cells in an embryo and fetus. (Ex: The zygote/fertilized egg and the cells at the very early stages following fertilization are considered totipotent)- Multipotent stem cells can give rise to multiple types of cells, but all within a particular tissue, organ, or physiological system. (Ex: blood-forming stem cells/bone marrow cells, most often referred to as adult stem cells)- Pluripotent stem cells (ex: embryonic stem cells) can give rise to any type of cell in the body. These cells are like blank slates, and they have the potential to turn into any type of cell.- Unipotent stem cells can self-renew as well as give rise to a single mature cell type. (Ex: sperm producing cells)

Embryonic stem cells are harvested from four to six-day-old embryos. These embryos are either leftover embryos in fertility clinics or embryos created specifically for harvesting stem cells by therapeutic cloning. Only South Korean scientists claim to have successfully created human embryos via therapeutic cloning and have harvested stem cells from them.

Adult stem cells are already designated for a certain organ or tissue. Some adult stem cells can be coaxed into or be reprogrammed into turning into a different type of specialized cell within the tissue type for example, a heart stem cell can give rise to a functional heart muscle cell, but it is still unclear whether they can give rise to all different cell types of the body.

The primary role of adult stem cells is to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found.

Uses of Stem Cell Research:Regenerative (reparative) medicine uses cell-based therapies to treat disease.

Scientists who research stem cells are trying to identify how undifferentiated stem cells become differentiated as serious medical conditions, such as cancer and birth defects, are due to abnormal cell division and differentiation.

Scientists believe stem cells can be used to generate cells and tissues that could be used for cell-based therapies as the need for donated organs and tissues outweighs the supply.

Stem cells, directed to differentiate into specific cell types, offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat diseases, including Parkinsons and Alzheimers diseases, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Policy Debate:Cloning human embryos for stem cells is very controversial.

The goal of therapeutic cloning research is not to make babies, but to make embryonic stem cells, which can be harvested and used for cell-based therapies.

Using fertilized eggs left over at fertility clinics is also controversial because removing the stem cells destroys them.

Questions of ethics arise because embryos are destroyed as the cells are extracted, such as: When does human life begin? What is the moral status of the human embryo?

Timeline:1998 President Bill Clinton requests a National Bioethics Advisory Commission to study the question of stem cell research.

1999 The National Bioethics Advisory Commission recommends that the government allow federal funds to be used to support research on human embryonic stem cells.

2000 During his campaign, George W. Bush says he opposes any research that involves the destruction of embryos.

2000 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issues guidelines for the use of embryonic stem cells in research, specifying that scientists receiving federal funds can use only extra embryos that would otherwise be discarded. President Clinton approves federal funding for stem cell research but Congress does not fund it.

August 9, 2001 President Bush announces he will allow federal funding for about 60 existing stem cell lines created before this date.

January 18, 2002 A panel of experts at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommends a complete ban on human reproductive cloning, but supports so-called therapeutic cloning for medical purposes.

February 27, 2002 For the second time in two years, the House passes a ban on all cloning of human embryos.

July 11, 2002 The Presidents Council on Bioethics recommends a four-year ban on cloning for medical research to allow time for debate.

February 2005 South Korean scientist Hwang Woo Suk publishes a study in Science announcing he has successfully created stem cell lines using therapeutic cloning.

December 2005 Experts from Seoul National University Hwang of faking some of his research. Hwang asks to have his paper withdrawn while his work is being investigated and resigns his post.

January 10, 2006 An investigative panel from Seoul National University accuses Hwang of faking his research.

July 18, 2006 The Senate votes 63-37 to loosen President Bushs limits on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research.

July 19, 2006 President Bush vetoes the embryonic stem-cell research bill passed by the Senate (the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005), his first veto since taking office.

June 20, 2007 President Bush vetoes the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, his third veto of his presidency.

January 23, 2009 The FDA approves a request from Geron Corp. to test embryonic stem cells on eight to 10 patients with severe spinal cord injuries. This will be the worlds first test in humans of a therapy derived from human embryonic stem cells. The tests will use stem cells cultured from embryos left over in fertility clinics.

March 9, 2009 President Barack Obama signs an executive order overturning an order signed by President Bush in August 2001 that barred the NIH from funding research on embryonic stem cells beyond using 60 cell lines that existed at that time.

August 23, 2010 US District Judge Royce C. Lamberth issues a preliminary injunction that prohibits the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

September 9, 2010 A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit grants a request from the Justice Department to lift a temporary injunction that blocked federal funding of stem cell research.

September 28, 2010 The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit lifts an injunction imposed by a federal judge, thereby allowing federally funded embryonic stem-cell research to continue while the Obama Administration appeals the judges original ruling against use of public funds in such research.

October 8, 2010 The first human is injected with cells from human embryonic stem cells in a clinical trial sponsored by Geron Corp.

November 22, 2010 William Caldwell, CEO of Advanced Cell Technology, tells CNN that the FDA has granted approval for his company to start a clinical trial using cells grown from human embryonic stem cells. The treatment will be for an inherited degenerative eye disease.

April 29, 2011 The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia lifts an injunction, imposed last year by a federal judge, banning the Obama administration from funding embryonic stem-cell research.

May 11, 2011 Stem cell therapy in sports medicine is spotlighted after New York Yankee pitcher Bartolo Colon is revealed to have had fat and bone marrow stem cells injected into his injured elbow and shoulder while in the Dominican Republic.

July 27, 2011 Judge Lamberth dismisses a lawsuit that tried to block funding of stem cell research on human embryos.

February 13, 2012 Early research published by scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Johns Hopkins University show that a patients own stem cells can be used to regenerate heart tissue and help undo damage caused by a heart attack. It is the first instance of therapeutic regeneration.

May 2013 Scientists make the first embryonic stem cell from human skin cells by reprogramming human skin cells back to their embryonic state, according to a study published in the journal, Cell.

April 2014 For the first time scientists are able to use cloning technologies to generate stem cells that are genetically matched to adult patients,according to a study published in the journal, Cell Stem Cell.

October 2014 Researchers say that human embryonic stem cells have restored the sight of several nearly blind patients and that their latest study shows the cells are safe to use long-term. According to a report published in The Lancet, the researchers transplanted stem cells into 18 patients with severe vision loss as a result of two types of macular degeneration.

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Stem Cells Fast Facts - KABC

News & Observer (blog)

Hundreds walk at N. Raleigh park to fight blindness News & Observer (blog) At age 8, Tyler Kirk started losing his eyesight to Stargardt disease, and he battled through Raleigh public schools learning Braille, guided by a white cane and tenacity. A quarter-century later, he works as a securities lawyer in Washington, D.C ...

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Hundreds walk at N. Raleigh park to fight blindness - News & Observer (blog)

Tears began glistening in Meredith Tonigish's eyes as she pointed out"Dr. Phil 2017" written on more than 100volunteers' shirts among eye screening stations in the end zone of the Indoor Athletic Complex.

Over the last 17 years,more than 13,000 eye exams have been performed and 7,000 pairs of glasses have been given to Special Olympics Michigan athletes all because of Dr. Philip Irion's vision.

Dr. Philip Irion

The optometrist from Lansingwas instrumental in bringing the first-ever Opening Eyes program to the 2000 SOMI Summer Games, where he and a group of volunteers performed 663 vision tests and gave out 172 pairs of glasses in just three days. Following a brief illness, Irion passed away in March.This year's SOMI Summer Games were dedicated to his memory.

"It's been rough," Tongish said. "The reason we all come out and do this for these athletes is because (Irion) made it happen. He was like thefather to this big Opening Eyes family we have."

Opening Eyes is one of the services provided in SOMI's athlete village during the summer games. At the village,SOMI athletes canreceive services provided by volunteer health professionals at no cost to the athletes and their families. More than 900 athletes received free eye exams thisweekend during the 2017 SOMI Summer Games.

Athletes go through 13 stations where they can receivenear and far sight exams, color exams and fitting for glasses if they need them. Medical volunteers conduct the exams and make the glasses on sight with donated lenses and frames.

Irion was inspired to bring Opening Eyes to Michigan after seeing it at the World Games in 1999. What started out in a small classroom at CMU now covers an entire end zone in the Indoor Athletic Complex's Turf Bay.

Many athletesreceive their first pairs of glasses through Opening Eyes program, said SOMI Chief Program Officer Ann Guzdzial. Free vision care, designer sunglasses and prescription swim goggles are also available to the athletes.

"Many of our athletes can't afford these types of services," Guzdzial said. "I remember one year a little girl ran up and said, 'I can see the bottom of the pool for the first time.'"

In addition to free eye exams, the healthy athlete village also provided dental care and other preliminary examinations to SOMI athletes.

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Opening Eyes and heavy hearts - Central Michigan Life

Kelly Spain-Kelly and her daughter Delaney walked out onto Walker Street from Future in Sight headquarters Saturday morning.

The mother and daughter were among 500 walkers, clad blue T-shirts, taking part in the nonprofits 14th annual 3k Walk for Sight, an event which raises money and awareness for the visually impaired.

For Spain-Kelly, who works for Future in Sight, and Delaney, who is visually impaired, the walk was especially meaningful.

(Delaney) has a brain tumor, it is inoperable she has a good prognosis for longevity but she is going to more than likely lose all of her vision because of the tumor, Spain-Kelly said.

Spain-Kelly works at the nonprofit as an orientation mobility specialist, helping the blind and visually impaired learn how to navigate in their environments safely and independently. It was Delaneys diagnosis and her experience receiving help from Future in Sight that motivated her to look into the field and go back to school for it.

I called them to find out about programs for my daughter and the person I talked to actually told me about the field and so I did research and went back and got my masters degree, Spain-Kelly said. Based on that, and because of my daughter, I ended up getting hired here when I graduated.

Spain-Kelly came to Future in Sight at a time of change for the organization, formerly known as the New Hampshire Association for the Blind, president and CEO David Morgan said.

Not only has the organizations name changed its also expanded the number of people it serves, with 2,200 covered across the state, Morgan said.

The money raised at the walk is crucial for supporting its expanded services, he said.

The funds raised today will really be to support those programs and the more walkers we have, the more folks that engage, the more likely we are to expand, he said. Because even after serving 2,200 folks this year there are still 28,000 plus over the state and two thirds of them are seniors and many of them will be living alone without access to services.

Among the participants in the race was Glen Booth of Loudon.

Booth, 78, was a fifth year participant in the event, but was walking with his great granddaughter for the first time this year.

Its going to be great, shes carrying one sign, Im carrying the other, he said. I have lazy eye blindness and I know what visually impaired people are going through because of it.

Randy Pierce, the chairman of Future in Sight, told Saturdays crowd that people that were visually impaired should be empowered to live whatever lives they wanted.

I dont have sight I hope the lesson you have, that all of us have learned, is that if your sight is impaired, your vision doesnt have to be impaired, he said, addressing the walkers. Your future can have a beautiful vision if you just look at the world differently.

Spain-Kelly echoed Pierce, saying Delaney was living as normal a life as possible.

She is a spunky little girl and is always happy and positive and really never complains about the treatments, she said.

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Community members turn out in droves to Walk for Sight, raise awareness for visually impaired - Concord Monitor

Dr. Tiffany Pankow, Special for The Republic | azcentral.com 7:00 a.m. MT June 2, 2017

Dr. Tiffany Pankow(Photo: HonorHealth)

Question: What can I do to prevent becoming diabetic?

Answer: More than one in three Americans has prediabetes, and 90 percent of them dont know it.

With prediabetes, your blood sugar levels are impaired but arent high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Because most people dont have symptoms, it can go undetected without screening.

Unfortunately, many with this condition will develop diabetes within a short time if the condition isnt addressed.

If you have prediabetes, youre at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. If diabetes develops, add blindness, kidney failure, and loss of limb from amputation to the risk list.

The good news is that you often can prevent diabetes with healthy lifestyle modifications, education, and sometimes, medication.

Identifying the early stages of glucose impairment before diabetes develops is an important way to reverse and prevent chronic disease.

If you have one or more of the following risk factors, talk to your doctor about screening for prediabetes with a blood test:

If you have prediabetes or are at risk for developing diabetes, several lifestyle changes can greatly decrease your risk. Although making lifestyle changes can be challenging, even small adjustments can have lasting results:

Losing 5-7 percent of your body weight can prevent or delay the progression to diabetes.

Replacing processed and packaged food with vegetables, fruits and lean protein such as chicken, fish, and turkey improves nutrition and decreases calories.

Avoiding white flour in pasta, pastries and bagels and instead choosing whole-grain options for carbohydrates can improve blood sugar levels.

Increasing exercise to a goal of 150 minutes per week and getting enough restful sleep can also help lower glucose levels and prevent diabetes.

Managing stress is another important component of a healthy lifestyle.

Limiting added sugar in foods to 25 grams (6 teaspoons) a day for women and 37.5 grams (9 teaspoons) for men is an American Heart Association recommendation.

For more information or to find a doctor to help you with screening or treatment for prediabetes, visit honorhealth.com/medical-services/primary-care.

Tiffany Pankow, MD, specializes in family medicine with HonorHealth Medical Group. She can be reached at 480-882-7360 or visit https://www.honorhealth.com/physicians/tiffany-pankow

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Ask a Doc: At risk for diabetes? Simple lifestyle changes could save your life - AZCentral.com

Diabetes can be deadly. Each year, more than 70,000 Americans die from complications of the disease. About half of all people with Type 2 diabetes don't have their condition under control.

New research now confirms a well-known procedure for weight loss may be the best bet for patients with uncontrolled diabetes.

Lisa Shaffer, at her heaviest, weighed nearly 300 pounds.

"When I was obese, my life was so limited," Shaffer said.

Her health suffered, too. Lisa had Type 2 diabetes, and she tried everything to control it.

"Nothing worked, nope," Shaffer explained.

But today she is 120 pounds lighter and her diabetes is gone. The reason: gastric bypass surgery.

"It's been incredible. Yeah, it really did give me my life back," Shaffer said.

Dr. Phillip Schauer, director of the Cleveland Clinic Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, led a study that compared bariatric surgery, either gastric bypass or gastric sleeve, to intense medical therapy in people with diabetes. After five years, the gastric bypass patients did the best. Many were in complete remission without drugs or insulin.

"Which is pretty remarkable. That's about as close to a cure that you can get," Schauer said.

Twenty-nine percent of gastric bypass and 23 percent of gastric sleeve patients achieved and maintained normal blood sugar levels, compared to just 5 percent of medication-only patients. The surgery groups also lost more weight and reported a better quality of life.

"All in all, the patients who had surgery did better and were happier at the five- year mark," Schauer said.

Three days after her surgery, Shaffer was off all of her meds. Her A1c, a measure of blood sugar control, was 10.5 before the surgery and today, it's 5.3. Now she's able to live the life she's always wanted.

"Ever since I lost the weight, I've run three 5Ks. I've done zip-lining with the family, which is fantastic. Just no limits anymore, there's no limitations on my life anymore," Shaffer said.

Schauer says weight loss is one reason diabetes patients benefit from bariatric surgery. The other is something that happens in the body as a result of the surgery. When the intestines are bypassed, special hormones increase, which helps the pancreas produce insulin more effectively.

Published at 4:48 PM CDT on Jun 2, 2017 | Updated at 4:55 PM CDT on Jun 2, 2017

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Gastric Bypass Surgery May Be Best Bet for Diabetes - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

More than2,000 D.C.-area real estate professionals packed into American University Thursday for a day of athletic competitionfor a good cause.

Bisnow: Jon Banister

Award winners and organizers of the 28th JDRF Real Estate Games

The 28th JDRF Real Estate Games raised a record $525K for Type 1 diabetes research, beating last year's total of $520K.

Awards were handed out to those who helped put the games together. Grosvenor Americas' Zac Linsky won the Steve Lauble award for his work as logistics chair. Cushman & Wakefield's Summer Newman won the Pete Wysocki Award for her work as volunteer chair. Bozzuto's Manny Egoegonwa won the Sherry Cushman award for co-chairing the games for the second year in a row, alongside Savills Studley'sSarah Dreyer.

Bisnow: Jon Banister

Brookfield's Dave Bevirt, JBG's Jill Goubeaux and Savills Studley's Adam Singer

JBG's Jill Goubeaux served as the honorary chair for the second straight year. Goubeaux,Egoegonwa and Dreyer became the first two-year leadership team in the games' history to raise over $1M for Type 1 diabetes. As she handed the torch to Brookfield's Dave Bevirt, who will serve as next year's honorary chair, Goubeauxoffered a challenge to her successor.

"Can you beat it?" she asked him.

Bisnow: Jon Banister

Clark Construction defeating HITT in the final round of the tug-of-war tournament.

From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., teams of real estate companies competed in aseries of athletic competitions that required strength, speed, precision and a sense of humor.

The points were tallied and Clark Construction won first place for the 10th consecutiveyear. Savills Studleycame in second and Turner Construction placed third. In the final event, a tug-of-war tournament, Clark defeated last year's tug-of-war winner, HITT Contracting.

Bisnow: Jon Banister

Members of Donohoe and COPT competing in the Allsteel chair relay.

Teams competed in some unconventional contests, like racing backward in a chair around the school's outdoor track. Teams of four competed in a relay with each person pushing themselves around a quarter of the track before handing off the chair.

Bisnow: Jon Banister

A member of the Willco team running the obstacle course.

Speaking of unconventional, competitors inthe outdoor relay race wore a viking helmet and poncho. They had to run through uphill tires before tiptoeingacross a balance beam while dodging water balloons, crossing a few moreobstacles before ultimately coming back down the hill by way of aslip and slide.

Bisnow: Jon Banister

Cohn Reznick (white) defeated Harvey Cleary (black) 9-8 in this basketball game.

Players also competed in some traditional sporting events like basketball, volleyball, wrestling, tennis, golf and swimming. A tournament of half-court, 3-on-3 basketball games occupied one of the courts in Bender Arena for half of the day, before the court was changed to volleyball.

Bisnow: Jon Banister

Clark Construction's Jim Calvo winning the heads of office relay.

While younger professionalsmade up mostof the teams, company executives competed in the head of office relay before a crowd of their employees.

The office heads had to put on a tutu and construction gear before drilling a screw into a piece of wood and finished by sliding across the gym headfirst on afour-wheeled cart. Clark Construction's Jim Calvo won the race.

Bisnow: Jon Banister

Signs at the Real Estate Games showed local children diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

The real estate teamsspent the day trying to beat their competition, but thegames' founder, Savills Studley's Adam Singer, emphasized that everyone is coming together to help people battling diabetes. He added a new installation at this year's event: a series of signs showing local children who have been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

"We wanted to remind everyone why we're here," Singer said.

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DC's Real Estate Community Raises $525K For Diabetes Research At 28th Games - Bisnow